Top 5 must-see comedians

24 hours spent stuffed in a hot room, surrounded by close family members is, for many, tantamount to hell. Which is why, in anticipation of Christmas Day, comedians release festive-tension-breaking DVDs.

But while Jimmy Carr, Micky Flanagan, Ross Noble and co. are some of the indisputable kings of Christmas comedy, here are five faces to check out on YouTube who are setting the stand up circuit alight at home and across the pond, and will make raising a smile over the yuletide that bit easier:

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Aziz Ansari

1. Aziz Ansari

You've already seen Ansari in 'Parks and Recreation', and as a famed scene-stealer in films like Seth Rogan's 'This is the End'. Check his gigs out on Netflix and get better acquainted with him in full shouty stand up mode.

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Isy Suttie

2. Isy Suttie

She won our affection as guilty pleasure Dobby in Peep Show, but with skits that include silly songs, farcical rhymes and the kind of humour that marks her out as the perfect geek's girlfriend, her comedy game is getting stronger by the gig.

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Jerry Sadowitz

3. Jerry Sadowitz

Another comic that uses shock and awe tactics to whip audiences into a frenzy, Sadowitz isn't just a comedian, but a magician and self-dubbed 'psychopath', too. Hardly ideal family viewing, especially if you're easily offended (seriously), but if you're in the market for some hilarious bile-fuelled hatred, then Jerry's your man.

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Louis CK

4. Louis CK

You know people who say things that everyone else is thinking but is too afraid to say out loud? Yeah, that's Louis CK in a nutshell. But what makes him so distinctive is his shocking, no holds barred approach to comedy, with material that covers everything from gender politics to sustainable tuna fishing (a lot funnier than it sounds, promise).

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Reggie Watts

5. Reggie Watts

There's more to Watts than big (and amazing) hair. In fact, US tabloid LA Weekly claims he's 'the most wildly inventive new talent of the past five years'. But it's not just comedy that he aces; he's also got skills as a vocalist, beatboxer, musician and improviser. Alright, show off.